Businessman facing life imprisonment for tackling burglars

["andy"]

I'd imagine they didn't really have much choice given that he broke our laws

Its our laws that are wrong not the jury

Id imagine they didn't run off with a fence post and that he chased them with it with the whole intention of beating them. That's illegal . but should it be ? Not sure

 

["andy"]

What's most shocking in this whole story is that the burglars only got £75 fines ? Is that really all that burglars get ? Hardly going to stop them repeating

 

[RDM]

I'd imagine they didn't really have much choice given that he broke our laws

Its our laws that are wrong not the jury

Id imagine they didn't run off with a fence post and that he chased them with it with the whole intention of beating them. That's illegal . but should it be ? Not sure

He was found not guilty.

 

[Fire Wizard]

The 'punishment' given to the buglers is indeed ridiculous. I am not quite sure how fining them £75 is in anyway justice.

As far as the actions of Andrew Woodhouse, the issue seems to come down to the motivations behind Mr Woodhouse making the decision to chase them down. It appears the decision was initially made out of anger and for the purpose of injuring those in the wrong, by no means unjustifiably, of course.

Prosecutor James Wilson said: "When he saw his hard-earned money carted off by a couple of ne'er-do-wells, he gave chase in anger intending to injure them."

But Woodhouse chased Green and caught him near their getaway car. He then attacked Green leaving him with two broken legs and a broken arm.

However, if you then take into account this next piece of information, things become a little more sketchy.

He said: "I swore at the men and grabbed one of them, I then felt a blow to my hand and shoulder and began grappling with them.

"I was pushed over and then I grabbed something from one of there hands which felt like a wooden fence post.

"I didn't want to be on the floor with someone hitting me with the wood like that.

Had there been no resistance from Mr Green, would Mr Woodhouse acted in the same manor as described below?

"I swung out like a mad mad between six and ten times. I was just lashing out man, I was hitting as hard as I could."

The motivations behind Mr Woodhouse chasing the buglers down, I think it's perfectly reasonable to assume there would have been some damage done to the perpetrators. To the same extent of the eventual outcome, I am not sure.

While in these cases you can fully sympathise with the victim, you have to also take into account the risk of vigilantism. Which is very unfortunate because if people didn't feel the need to steal from others, or whatever the scenario may be, this wouldn't be an issue in the first place.

 

[kitch9]

His mistake was not calling police, he went to the alarm with the intent of hurting whoever was there, he should have just called the cops, In this respect it's pre-meditated and they should throw the book at him

Do you actually believe some of the crazy stuff you type?

The jury disagrees with you. Why are you right and they wrong?

He's read 5 lines in the paper and believes he has all the facts of the case to form an opinion which is more informed than a jury, clearly.

 

[Schlong&Stable]

Yeah! I was in a shop the other week and a couple of small children tried stealing some sweets, so I followed them outside and smashed their faces in with a brick. Awesome, right?

Or do they have to be a bit older before it becomes awesome? Or does it have to be diesel they're stealing? Not sure.

Well very few societies would consider a child to be responsible, so they can probably just get off with a slap on the wrists.

Adults on the other hand... well I'm all in favour of a brick to the face for thieves.

 

[Gazanimal]

Good on the bloke.

Think how many other people he's saved from being burgled in the 10 months since that little **** had his legs/arms broken.

Sometimes justice is not given to those who deserve it the most.

 

[Robosapien]

Businessman (who has worked hard) protects his assets from petty criminals left with little recourse. No great social injustice was done here. The concept of property disgusts me.

 

[koolpc]

If anyone breaks into your property to steal etc etc then they should be prepared to accept the consequences! I have a 7 year old daughter and if anyone broke into my house they had better be wearing body Armour!

The law is too soft and criminals know they can get away with murder!

 

[kitch9]

Zethor has me crying rivers here.

WILL NO ONE THINK OF THE THIEVES AND BURGLARS, WHAT ABOUT THEM!?

 

[Marshstyles]

His mistake was not calling police, he went to the alarm with the intent of hurting whoever was there, he should have just called the cops, In this respect it's pre-meditated and they should throw the book at him

You cannot call the police every time an intruder alarm goes off. I get called to maybe 1 every 3-6 months (I never go there on my own I should add). Normally a spider has decided to make his home over the motion sensor. Now I'm 1 of 350ish operations staff that have go to these alarms. If everyone was working to about the same ratio as me that would be 700 unneeded phone calls to the police services every year. You just can't waste police time like that.

Just like a building doesn't call for the fire service every time the fire alarm goes off.

Fair play to Mr Woodhouse. He is a braver man than I. 2 vs 1 and they are armed with a fence post...well, seeing as 1 for the guys was 53 I might have fancied my chances.

Also, If someone hits me with a weapon and I don't go down, take said weapon off them, hit them back with it and they don't get up, that's their problem imo.

I am glad Mr Woodhouse did not receive prison time.

I've had tools stolen before (like most of the tradesmen I know) and it just costs so much to replace, plus your time lost because you have to put jobs on hold or even get cancelled because things have to be back working again for a deadline. There are companies that make billions every year. If you have to steal (which I really don't like btw) go do it to them not someone who its going to crippled financially for the rest of the year because you've taken their livelihood.

Good thread enjoyed the read! Even if some peoples opinions are some what different to mine

 

[Von Smallhausen]

And nothing increases the likelihood of vigilantism more than the police and CPS being more interested in prosecuting householders than burglars.

The CPS decided to prosecute. The police took the complaint of assault, probably reluctantly, and put the evidence to the Crown for a decision.

I have my doubts at both parties doing backflips in prosecuting householders over burglars.

 

[Fuzz]

I am 100% on Mr Woodhouses side here.
I Absolutely hate ***** theiving scum, on different occasions I've had tools I make a living from stolen, the house done over and the car done over for my Stereo equipment.
I have absolutely no sympathy for what happens to them.
Getting myself in a rage actually scares me sometimes, I've knocked a bedroom door in two pieces trying to get out of the property quick enough to catch the ***** that stole my Car stuff. That was true rage if I ever saw it so I can imagine what Mr Woodhouse was going through. You just see red, almost literally, nothing gets in your way.. It took a second or two to wonder what was going on one time as I got up off the floor wrestling a door frame off me.

Slight temper issue

 

[Janesy B]

The thread title is misleading, isn't it?

 

[estebanrey]

The 'punishment' given to the buglers is indeed ridiculous. I am not quite sure how fining them £75 is in anyway justice.

As far as the actions of Andrew Woodhouse, the issue seems to come down to the motivations behind Mr Woodhouse making the decision to chase them down. It appears the decision was initially made out of anger and for the purpose of injuring those in the wrong, by no means unjustifiably, of course.





However, if you then take into account this next piece of information, things become a little more sketchy.



Had there been no resistance from Mr Green, would Mr Woodhouse acted in the same manor as described below?



The motivations behind Mr Woodhouse chasing the buglers down, I think it's perfectly reasonable to assume there would have been some damage done to the perpetrators. To the same extent of the eventual outcome, I am not sure.

While in these cases you can fully sympathise with the victim, you have to also take into account the risk of vigilantism. Which is very unfortunate because if people didn't feel the need to steal from others, or whatever the scenario may be, this wouldn't be an issue in the first place.

Hang on, you are basing your opinion on the PROSECUTOR'S words, his job was to try and convict Mr Woodhouse and will always imply the worst.

A defence barrister just needs to respond with "Mr Woodhouse pursued the burglars with the intention of performing a citizens arrest". Any citizen who has witnessed a crime can run after and restrain someone who has committed a criminal act within British Law. This myth that the law means you are powerless once they start to scarper is bunkem.

Given 'intention' is impossible to prove, as long as the defence presents a legitimate one it becomes one person's word against another.

At that point it becomes a self defence issue.

 

[smokedog]

People who plan to commit crimes, should have no rights. I'm sure the burglar wouldn't have a problem using excessive force if needed.

 

[deanolfc]

He was cleared within 20mins Good job . DM

 

[Energize]

Maybe if juries continue to acquit people who take the law into their own hands, the courts may be forced to actually punish criminals. Jury nullification at work I guess.

 

[SMN]

Maybe if juries continue to acquit people who take the law into their own hands, the courts may be forced to actually punish criminals. Jury nullification at work I guess.

This. Good on the jury for acquitting him - pathetic he was even being considered for a charge.

 

[benneh]

I suspect breaking the arms and legs of the one of the criminals by beating them with a fence post is probably the reason...

But my home is my castle!!.